


this thing called love, i just can't handle it

by silversilky



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Pre-Relationship, tsugu loves dolphins and sayo loves her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 08:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19205848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversilky/pseuds/silversilky
Summary: Tsugumi gasped, and reached out gently to take the dolphin from her. "Oh my gosh, Sayo..." A big, wobbly smile spread across her face. "Sayo, I love it!" She hugged it tightly to her chest, leaning down to rub her cheek against its nose.God, I wish that were me,Sayo thought wistfully.





	this thing called love, i just can't handle it

Sayo knew she was doomed the moment she made eye contact with it.

  
It was perfectly proportioned, realistic but not in a way that felt uncanny. A soft blue material made up the body, with two round inset eyes that watched her knowingly. Its fins were stubby, its tail just the right length, and she could easily imagine it swimming around a peaceful ocean.

  
It was the best plush dolphin Sayo had ever seen. Not that she'd seen a lot of them, but still. She'd give it at least a 9.5 out of 10 if asked to rank it.

  
Despite its quality and cuteness, she usually wouldn't have taken a second glance. But just the other day Tsugumi had mentioned something in passing, just an offhand comment, about how she thought that dolphins were cute. Sayo had filed that info away in the part of her head labeled Tsugumi Gift Ideas. She hadn't known that it would be relevant so soon.

  
Sayo reached out and took it from the shelf. Her fingers were a bit sore from practice, but she gave it a couple of squeezes to ensure it was properly stuffed. Nothing but the best for her... crush, she hesitatingly chose from a long list of possible terms.

  
She began to reach over with her other hand and was momentarily confused when she realized there was something inside it already. A package of pens- oh, right, that's why she was here in the first place.

  
God, what was happening to her? Her daily life had been derailed by a simple coffee bean of a girl.

  
Pivoting towards the front of the store, Sayo held the dolphin carefully. It was a tad embarrassing to carry something like this around in public, but at least she wouldn't be seeing anybody she knew, right? She could ask the cashier for a bag.

  
"Sunshiiiine~"

  
_Fuck._ Sayo had forgotten what store she was in.

  
Moca leaned over lazily to take a closer look, her work apron dragging on the counter. "Yo, Sayooo. Whatcha got there?"

  
"It's not for me," Sayo retorted quickly as she squeezed the innocent dolphin tight. She grudgingly took it and the pens up to Moca, after double checking that there weren't any other cashiers available.

  
"Ohhhh." Moca's eyes narrowed at the dolphin as she scanned it in. She slowly looked back to Sayo and grinned. "Who's it for, then?"

  
The walls closed in around Sayo, heavy with merchandise and sale signs. She felt as though she'd fallen right into a trap. She ran through a list of potential candidates in her head- not Yukina, she'd want a cat, not Ako or Rinko, they'd want dragons or goblins or something. Hina had far too many stuffed animals already. Who was left?

  
She held her head high, projecting her image as a member of the Ethics Committee and meeting Moca's mischevious gaze with cold steel. "It's for Marina. A gift to thank her for letting us stay late after our last few practice sessions."

  
"Marina," Moca said dryly.

  
"That is her name."

  
"You suuuuuuuuure, Sayo?"

  
"Yes, I am quite sure that is her name," Sayo said irritatedly, checking her watch as a cold sweat built up on her brow.

  
Moca's fingers moved so slowly over the register keys that Sayo fully expected moss to start growing on them. Like a witch tending her cauldron. "Not what I meant. You sure it's not for everyone's favorite little barista?"

  
"And who would that be?" Sayo asked through gritted teeth.

  
Moca looked absolutely shocked. "You can't tell me you've forgotten our beloved Tsugu's name? For shame... It brings a tear to ol' Moca's eye." She reached up to feign wiping away tears. "And she's got the hots for you, too... Ah, it's a tragic story."

  
"I did- She what?- I-" Sayo stammered, stopping only as a hand slapped down gently on Moca's head.

  
"Moca, no bullying the customers," Lisa said as she rubbed the other girl's hair roughly. She gave Sayo a weary smile. "She's been harassing you, Sayo?"

  
"Y... yes. I'd ask you to discipline your employees properly."

  
"Gotcha loud and clear." Lisa poked Moca in the forehead, earning her a displeased Moca sound. "You remember what the manager said the other day, right, Moca?"

  
"Frozen yogurt is half off on Sunday," Moca replied confidently.

  
Lisa rolled her eyes. "No, I meant when she told you to not be a little shit to people anymore or she'd kick you out onto the cold and mean streets."

  
Moca whined back, "Buuuuut, Sayo's so fun and easy to bully."

  
Sayo sputtered, and Lisa quickly stifled a giggle. "Be that as it may, no bullying anybody when you're on the clock, okay?" She gently pushed Moca to the side and finished up the sale, tossing the dolphin and pens into a paper bag with the receipt and passing it to Sayo.

  
As Sayo took it, Lisa gave her a conspiratorial wink and a wide smile. "Good luck! I'm rooting for you!" she whispered more than loud enough for Moca to hear, judging by the double thumbs up that the other girl flashed to her behind Lisa.

  
The bell on the door jingled merrily as Sayo made her escape.

 

* * *

 

Now, as unpleasant as that had been, this would be the really hard part.

  
The girl next to her walked at Sayo's pace, taking her steps a bit more often because of the difference in their height. She was humming something she didn't recognize, maybe an unreleased Afterglow track they'd been working on. Whatever it was, it made Sayo's heart feel full just from listening to her.

  
They weren't on a date. But it didn't feel like simply a casual outing with a friend, either. Sayo couldn't quite put a descriptor to it.

  
The bag she carried on her shoulder bumped against her side with each step, sending shocks of anxiety through her chest. It wasn't weird to buy a stuffed animal for your friend, right? Especially if they were your... maybe, sort of, more-than-friend. Hopefully Tsugumi wouldn't think it was odd, or overbearing, or...

  
Sayo felt a tug on her sleeve, and realized that at some point she had stopped walking. Tsugumi looked at her with big, curious eyes, clearly worried. "Sayo? Is everything all right?"

  
She cleared her throat. "Yes. I'm sorry to worry you, Hazawa. Let's keep going, the accessory shop is waiting and I don't wish to keep you out after dark."

  
"I wouldn't mind if you did, though..." came a faint whisper from beside her.

  
"Hazawa?"

  
Tsugumi went bright red under her gaze and looked away to a nearby plain brick wall. "Nothing! Just saying, er, don't push yourself too hard, Sayo. We can walk more slowly if you want."

  
Sayo nodded, embarrassed but touched by Tsugumi's concern for her.

  
The rest of their walk together, and their time spent browsing the shop, was thankfully uneventful. The anxiety didn't quite melt away, but Sayo felt the two of them falling into a comfortable rhythm. Normally, she'd never spend so much of her time out when she could be practicing or studying, but time spent with Tsugumi was never wasted. Not a moment of it.

  
Before she knew it, they were on their way out. As the door closed behind them, Sayo took a deep breath. "Hazawa. I didn't mention this before, but I have something I want to give to you."

  
Tsugumi perked up, curious. "Oh? Sayo, you didn't need to..."

  
In one motion, before she could second-guess herself, Sayo reached into her bag and shoved its contents into Tsugumi's hands. She squeezed her eyes shut. "I hope that you like it, I picked it out especially for you."

  
"Ah! Sayo... how did you know?" she heard Tsugumi respond.

  
"Well, you mentioned that you liked them the other day, and when I saw it at the store it made me think of you, so I thought I might pick it up as a- a gift. For you," Sayo mumbled.

  
"Sayo..." Tsugumi said softly. "I can't believe you remembered I needed new pens."

  
Her eyes flew open to see the other girl holding her package of pens as if it were made of gold. She reached her hand back into the bag quickly and yanked out the plush dolphin as soon as she could find it, double checking it this time before offering it. "Er, Hazawa, this is actually what I meant to give you..."

  
Tsugumi gasped, and reached out gently to take the dolphin from her. "Oh my gosh, Sayo..." A big, wobbly smile spread across her face. "Sayo, I love it!" She hugged it tightly to her chest, leaning down to rub her cheek against its nose.

  
_God, I wish that were me,_ Sayo thought wistfully.

  
Tsugumi reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "Wait here for a minute!" she said hurriedly, and rushed back into the accessory shop with the dolphin in tow, leaving a confused Sayo in her wake. She rubbed where Tsugumi had touched her shoulder and reached up to fidget with a lock of her hair, twirling it around her finger nervously.

  
She only had to endure a few restless minutes until the other girl came rushing back out, beaming at her with a flush of red on her cheeks. "Sayo, check it out!"

  
She held up the dolphin to show off a new adjustment she'd made- a brand new teal ribbon tied neatly around its midsection. Sayo tilted her head in confusion, before realizing the meaning of it and feeling a rush of an entirely new feeling. Teal. That was her color.

  
Tsugumi hugged the dolphin- Sayolphin?- close again, flitting her eyes back up and giving Sayo a look with a hint of... flirtatiousness? "To make sure that whenever I hold it, I think about you."

  
"I love you," Sayo muttered.

  
"Sayo?!"

  
Sayo choked on air, doubling over and doing her very best to stay standing. "I said, that's a lovely idea, Hazawa."

  
"Ah! Ah, haha, thank you!" Tsugumi's face was nearly entirely obstructed by the Sayolphin, and Sayo had no way of knowing what sort of expression was crossing her face.

  
She straightened back up, adjusting her sleeves and doing her best to regain a sense of composure. Mentally slapping her cheeks, she gave Tsugumi a small smile. "Thank you for today, Hazawa, I had a wonderful time."

  
"I had a lot of fun too!" Tsugumi replied warmly. "In fact, um... would you like to stay out a little later? We've got some sunlight left." She winked, sending a pulse through Sayo's heart. "You can trust my Afterglow sunset-sense on that."

  
Sayo nodded. "I would like that quite a bit."

  
An idea came to her, and she decided if there were ever a time to disregard fear and anxiety, it would be now. Staring steadfast towards the horizon, she turned and stiffly offered her arm for Tsugumi to hold onto.

  
A softness brushed against her side as Tsugumi reciprocated and wrapped an arm around hers. She giggled, holding up the Sayolphin that she held with her free hand. "I've got a Sayo on each arm, now!"

  
Sayo felt the tenseness in her shoulders fade away as she smiled in response, and this time she kept her reaction inside.

  
_I love you, Tsugumi._


End file.
